Expect the Unexpected
by YackAttack
Summary: My entry for fashionablyobsessed's challenge using combined prompts. 3 girls. 3 tragic love stories. One neighborhood. One fate changer. When each of the girls stumble upon their strange neighbor's artifact, they fall under its spell. But, no one can prepare them for the suffering the paw will cause each of them. Based on The Monkey's Paw. Peddie, Jara, Noy. Read and Review!
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: Hi everyone! This is my entry for fashionablyobsessed's contest which I was reminded I needed to post by the entries that came out yesterday. I've been reading the other entry's and I pretty much have no shot. They're amazing! I'm seriously impressed. **

**I know in the summary it says that I'm using "Combined Prompts." Basically, I took two prompts from the challenge and put them into one story. You won't really learn what the prompts are till the next chapter, but enjoy this one! Let me know your thoughts!**

**The story is based off of an amazing short story called "The Monkey's Paw." If you haven't read it, you'll still understand the story though :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own HOA or The Monkey's Paw.**

* * *

The gun shots fired, the swords were stabbed, and the blood continued to shed. Was I afraid? Maybe. Could I show it? Not at all. This was _war._

How? How did this even happen? I'm standing on a battle field. People I once called friends and enemies are now wounded soldiers, gasping their last breaths of air. They're losing. They're losing this war called life.

Everything that happened in the past 10 days was completely unexpected. None of it was supposed to happen. I changed fate. I ruined lives. I ruined my own life. I tipped the scales. To think, that's all Victor ever wanted. To tip the scales of life. Change fate. But fate isn't forgiving. Everything you change, every ripple you cause, gets revenge. So I warn you, as I explain the last 10 days to you,_ expect the unexpected_.

Throughout this story, you will hear different stories. And lucky you, you're starting with mine. My name is Patricia Williamson. I'm 17 years old. 10 days ago was just another normal day.

My neighbor Eddie and I were having sex on the couch after school. No, Eddie is not my boyfriend. He's just my neighbor. He's 20, and occasionally my mother would ask him to "check up on me" after school. That didn't last long. Back when I was a freshman and he was a junior, we had a fling (secretly of course). It was stupid, and lasted about a week. Nevertheless, when Eddie came to check up on me that first time, we ended up making out. We've only gone all the way three times, that being the third.

But, there was always one problem. Willow.

Willow Jenks was the 11 year old who I was supposed to babysit once she for off the bus. Her parents both worked hard to earn a living, seeing as they had Willow when they were so young.

Willow had almost caught Eddie and I twice already,and today the bus came earlier than usual. Eddie and I both had to hide behind the couch, naked, so that Willow wouldn't see us.

"Hello? Patricia?" Willow called to me, walking in.

"Stop breathing!" I whispered to Eddie.

He looked at me sourly and I shrugged. I was counting on Willow needing to go to the bathroom or something, so that we could get out from behind the couch. Unfortunately, she had the bladder of a camel. She placed herself on the couch and I scowled. Her innocence was leaving her second by second and she didn't even know it.

Long story short, Willow did catch Eddie and me. And we had to bribe her a hundred bucks each to keep quiet. Turns out 5th graders these days know a lot more than they let on, and she'd suspected that we'd been "fraternizing" for a while.

Willow agreed to forget about it, and pretend she was never scarred by seeing both of us butt naked. But, Willow was no longer the problem. When Eddie pulled me outside before he left, I knew he was calling it quits.

"That was way too close," he explained to me. "She's a little girl and we are taking her innocence away. As long as you're watching her we can't keep doing 'this.' She could easily catch us again."

"Taking her innocence away?! Are you forgetting that you're the adult here, and what you did to me?" I scolded.

"Patricia, I was in high school. You have to understand how high school guys are-"

"I KNOW how high school guys are. But you made me believe you were different. In fact, I'm rethinking this entire situation as well. I gave you what you wanted didn't I? You probably moved here for the soul reason of getting into my pants didn't you?"

Eddie's expression changed from angry, to upset. Disappointed. I knew by his expression that some of what I said was true. And that's what upset me the most.

Actually, no. That's not what upset me the most. What upset me the most was that standing here now, it seemed like it would be the last time he ever came over. We wouldn't ever make up. We wouldn't ever kiss again. It was like breaking up, and not even being together. If Eddie stopped coming over, I wouldn't see him anymore. Maybe at a distance, but I couldn't see whether he was happy or sad at a distance. I couldn't tell if he loved me or not from a distance. But then again, I couldn't even tell from close up. I didn't know if he felt the same way. And now I wouldn't know.

Our high school fling made me mad because he didn't want to be with me for the same reason I wanted to be with him. He wanted me, and I wanted to love him. And I wanted him to love me. I've always just wanted him to love me. But I'd now come to the conclusion that he never would, and this was the best I'd ever get.

I cried in my bed that night. Not knowing what to do. I glanced over at Eddie's house, which was right next to mine. One light was on. It had to be him, because he lived alone. I wanted to go over there more than anything and tell him the truth. But I couldn't do it. He was 3 years older than me. What was I even thinking?

But, I found myself wandering in the street anyway. Walking over to his house in my pajama shorts and a sweatshirt, not knowing what to expect.

That's when I saw it. I saw the shining green light coming from the house across the street. I knew that house belonged to my creepy neighbor Victor, but I'd never actually been over there before. Abandoning my mission to go see Eddie, I walked over to Victor's house instead.

The door was open, as if it was welcoming me inside. The inside was _terrifying_. There were stuffed animals EVERYWHERE. Blood on the walls, and potions on every shelf. However, Victor didn't appear to be home.

I followed the shining green light up the stairs, till I found its source. The light was coming from a stuffed monkey's paw, drawing me toward it. The paw was disgusting, yet stunning at the same time. Underneath it, there was a crumbled up note.

**This paw will grant one wish to its holder. But choose wisely, for the paw is meant to teach the wisher the dangers of fate.**

A wish?! Well of course I had to take it. Magic wasn't real anyway, so what chance was I taking?

I took the paw in my hand. Don't ask me how I knew to, I just did.

Eddie had said as long as I babysat Willow, he couldn't be with me. So, all I had to do was get rid of Willow.

"I wish Willow didn't need a babysitter," I whispered to the paw.

* * *

The next day, after school, I waited. And waited. Not for Willow, but for Eddie to come over. I figured that the universe would tell him that I wasn't babysitting Willow any longer and he'd just- come. But he never did.

My curious mind and I got worried. So, of course I had to go over to Eddie's and find out what was going on. Why hadn't he come over yet?

Suddenly, there were two cars in his driveway instead of one. Two cars? Was his father visiting?

I walked up to the house and knocked on the door. An attractive strawberry blonde woman answered it.

"Uh hello?" I said to her.

"Hi Patricia. Do you need something?" the woman asked.

How did she know my name? I didn't know this woman. I couldn't.

"How do you know my name?"

"What do you mean?" she said with a chuckle. "We've been neighbors every since Eddie and I moved here last year."

Eddie and I? Her and Eddie lived together? No. There was no way he had a girlfriend. He's been alone ever since he moved in. I'm sure of it.

"Willow?!" Eddie's voice called. "Who's that at the door?"

Willow. This woman- this woman was Willow?! That couldn't be! All I wished is that Willow would no longer need a babysitter! Not that she would become a beautiful woman and start dating Eddie!

"It's Patricia," Willow told him. "She seems awfully confused. I'll bring her inside."

Willow and Eddie dragged me inside and sat me in their living room. I looked back and forth between the two of them in confusion. This could not be happening. My wish had come true in the _worst_ possible way. But it came true. Willow didn't need a babysitter. She was grown up. She was Eddie's girlfriend. Eddie loved her. Loved her the way I had always wanted him to love me.

* * *

**Author's Note: Sad I know :( But hey, this is merely the start of the story! **

**I hope you liked it! The next chapter is Mara centric, however Patricia and Eddie will continue to pop up. Stay tuned, because it will be interesting to see how the girl's changed fates align! Review!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: Happy Winter Solstice! Good news! I'm almost totally done writing, and I will probably update tomorrow and Monday (because the entry is due Tuesday night). Thank you so much for reviewing and following and please continue to do so!**

**Author's Note: I don't own HOA or The Monkey's Paw.**

* * *

I watched Patricia take out all the enemies with the sword in her hand. It didn't even bother her to take their lives. She had sunk so low, that she just didn't care anymore. She wanted everyone else to feel as miserable as her. I hadn't heard her entire story, but I knew it had something to do with the boy who they think passed yesterday. Maybe that's why she went nuts.

We had gone to school together, but had never really been friends. I knew who Patricia was, but then again, everyone did after her insane out burst about fate being fucked up. (Her exact words.) That's when they realized she was mad. They hauled her off to an asylum, where she refused to talk for her entire 3 day evaluation. It was all over the news. They were about to diagnose her with amnesia, when she escaped. The doctors still haven't found her, but I did.

Allow me to tell you my story. My name is Mara Jaffray. I'm 16 and a sophomore in high school. I, like most other 16 year olds, am obsessed with Jerome Clarke. I mean, the boy's incredible. He's popular, a senior, hot, a senior and basically every girl's dream.

Some people call him a gossip. He spreads all sorts of rumors about people in school. But somehow, no one can see any bad in him. Everyone thinks he's perfect. And I didn't see a single flaw in the boy.

8 days ago, the same day Patricia was hauled away, Jerome winked at me in the hall way. He winked at me! He saw me staring, we made eye contact, and he winked. It was truly something magical, and I was convinced he was into me.

Of course, I was wrong. Why would a senior like Jerome want to be with a sophomore like me?

"Honestly Mara, get the hell over it cause love sucks," Patricia said, snapping me from thought.

"I know. Trust me, I do. But what happened to you?" I asked her.

"Everything."

It was Patricia who told me where the paw was. She told me that if I wanted a wish granted, then she knew how. But she also warned me that the consequences weren't worth it at all. She told me- she said she wished she'd wished for death instead.

I didn't understand how anything could be SO bad that it would make you wish to die, but some people are strange. And I wanted that paw. If it could make Jerome like me, then it was completely worth it.

Victor lived in the house right next door to mine. I watched the house like a hawk through the window, and just like Patricia said, at midnight it began to glow green.

I bolted out of bed and dashed over to the house. Sure enough, the door was open, welcoming me inside. The inside, was terrifying. There were stuffed animals EVERYWHERE. Blood on the walls, and potions on every shelf. However, Victor didn't appear to be home.

I followed the shining green light up the stairs, till I found its source. The light was coming from a stuffed monkey's paw, drawing me toward it.

The paw was disgusting, yet stunning at the same time. Underneath it, there was a crumbled up note.

**This paw will grant one wish to its holder. But choose wisely, for the paw is meant to teach the wisher the dangers of fate.**

Though I'd never believed it magic, the paw put a spell on me, forcing me to believe in its power.

I took the paw in my hand. Don't ask me how I knew to, I just did.

I wanted Jerome to like me, but after seeing what happened to Patricia, I knew I'd have to chose my words very carefully.

"I wish Jerome would come to my house and confess his love," I whispered to the paw.

I figured the more specific the better, because the words would be harder for the "magic" to twist around.

* * *

The next morning, I made sure to look perfect. If Jerome was going to make a move, I needed to look hot.

When I went downstairs to grab some breakfast, I noticed everything in my house was different. It didn't look like a normal living room or kitchen, but more like some sort of a spy headquarters. There were guards standing everywhere, and they seemed to be surrounding a tied up figure in a chair.

I knew the figure. I'd know him anywhere. It was Jerome.

"What are you doing with him?!" I screamed at the guards.

"Jerome Clarke is your latest kidnap Ms. Jaffray. Don't you remember? You took him last night," one of the guards informed her.

Kidnapped?! I had kidnapped Jerome?! Now he'd never want to be with me! I had to let him go.

"Well, leave," I demanded the guards.

To my surprise they followed my orders, deserting the scene as quickly as they could.

Jerome sat there, all bound up, gagged and tied, staring at me with fear in his eyes.

"Please don't make me your slave," he begged.

"Slave?" I would never have a slave! It's illegal first of all, and second, if I was going to have a slave I certainly wouldn't pick my future husband.

"You can rape me if you want to, but please don't hurt me!" he pleaded.

Rape him?! Whoa. I would never rape anyone. I'm Mara! Sweet, innocent Mara Jaffray. I've never done anything wrong in my life.

"Jerome I would never-"

"Just know, if you do, you'd be taking me away from the woman I love. Her name is Willow Jenks and she's beautiful and kind. She loves me. Please respect that," Jerome told me.

And suddenly it hit me. I wished Jerome would come to my house, and that he did. He was sitting in my living room. I had him all to myself. But, he was confessing his love for another woman. To think, I thought I was being specific! I just wished for him to confess his love! Not for me, but for anyone. He didn't love me. My wish was wasted! He'd never love me!

Everything came full circle. I understood Patricia. I needed to talk to her.

* * *

"And then he told me he loved another girl!" I explained to a worn looking Patricia.

The entire time I'd been there, she didn't even move a muscle. She didn't talk, didn't flinch. She was so focused on her own thought, I wasn't sure if she'd heard me. I couldn't blame her, it must've of been so hard for her to be dragged into an asylum. And during her 3 day evaluation she certainly didn't want to say anything they could've held against her.

I looked at her a little closer. Her eye was twitching. It was looking at something extremely closely. I turned to look the direction she was looking. That's when I saw it. The security camera. She was trying to tell me something. She wanted me to cover it.

I walked over to the camera, and placed my jacket on top of it. The moment I did, Patricia bolted up. She grabbed a pen and paper as quickly as possible and scribbled:

**I heard your story. Mine is similar.**

"Really?!" I asked her, getting slightly excited.

She continued to write on the paper:

**Yes. But you can't tell anyone you've been here. Before the end of my evaluation, I'm going to run away. I have to get out of here. Meet me in Victor's house. We can talk then.**

I nodded at her slowly, soaking in every word she'd written.

* * *

**Author's Note: Yay the stories have started to combine! You'll get full explanation about what's going on during the final chapter :)**

**Review Review!**


	3. Chapter 3

I watched Mara and Patricia closely throughout the battle, trying to see whether they were as miserable as I was. I knew Patricia was suffering. You could see it in her eyes. Though her motions were fierce, her heart was completely broken.

I knew why. Yesterday, the man she was in love with was beaten and almost killed. By whom, I shouldn't say. But I do know. We all know. Patricia was the one who saved his life. That's why she declared war. She wanted war with all those who ever had used the Monkey's Paw.

I didn't think I'd be so desperately in need of it, but true love is worth it. That's what I felt with Nina. And it didn't even matter to me that she was engaged- at first.

Yes, I Joy Mercer am I lesbian, if you have a problem with that you can put your complaints in my complaint box (aka the trash can). Nina wasn't my first love. But, I knew she was my last. We'd been the best of friends since we found out Jerome Clarke had been dating us both at the same time. We bonded together, and became insanely close. Maybe a little too close. Before either of us knew it, we were most definitely in love. But Nina was already engaged to Fabian Rutter, and she couldn't stand to break the boy's heart.

I tried not to mind the engagement. I wanted to be happy for them. It didn't bother me at all until 6 days ago. That was the day wedding planning truly started. I first noticed Nina making a list of bridesmaids when I woke up.

"Nina? What are you doing?!" I asked her, beginning to panic.

"Making a list of bridesmaids," she said perkily.

"Excuse me?"

"I'm making a list of bridesmaids I want at my wedding," she said to me, as if I was a child.

If Nina was planning, it means it was official. She was really planning to marry him.

"You're actually going to marry him?!" I said with scorn.

"Yes Joy. I wouldn't have said yes to his proposal if I wasn't planning on marrying him."

"Nina! I thought we felt the same way about each other!"

Nina looked at me angrily. She hated it when I brought up our "feelings" because it made her "uncomfortable."

"Joy-"

"You can't use Fabian to hide who you really are," I said, crossing my arms.

"I'm not using Fabian," Nina insisted.

And that's when I gave up. I didn't want us to fight. So I let her win this time and have the last word. After all, she was the bride to be.

It made me sick to think of her and Fabian being together. He was an amazing guy, don't get me wrong, but Nina deserved better than any guy. She deserved someone who understood her and knew how to love her right. I did. I knew I did.

I decided to go out and get some air because it was far too miserable and awkward and mine and Nina's shared apartment. But while I walked, I saw my 16 year old neighbor, Mara Jaffray in the corner crying. She looked miserable. Completely miserable.

"Mara?" I called, walking to her.

"Huh?" She said, wiping the tears from under her eyes and sniffling.

"Are you alright?" I asked.

Mara looked me straight in the eye, and nodded slowly.

"I'm fine. It's stupid."

"Nothing is stupid if it's worth crying about," I said.

"It's just this boy-"

"Oh no. Don't tell me it's a LOVE thing," I groaned jokingly.

Mara chuckled and started to lighten up. I sat myself down next to her and listened to her story. Somehow, it was all so hard to believe. But, little girls do make things up sometimes.

"I don't think you should meet Patricia," I told her honestly.

"I have to! I don't care if it's dangerous! I need to talk to her! Don't you see?! It's important!"

"It's too risky," I warned.

I knew she could tell I didn't believe her.

"Tell you what," she said. "I'll prove to you I'm not crazy. You meet me here tonight at midnight sharp, then I'll show you," Mara said.

I rolled my eyes but agreed to meet her. It wasn't as if I had anything else better to do.

* * *

I met Mara in the corner where I had before. It was completely freezing outside, and I was shivering like crazy. Mara and I lived fairly close by to one another, my house was on the other side of Eddie Miller's.

"Look," she said to me, pointing toward our elderly neighbor Victor's house.

I turned around and gasped. The house was glowing green! I was going insane. Just like that Patricia girl. I was hallucinating. I wasn't on drugs, I wasn't drunk, what was going on here. I was 23, I knew for a fact magic isn't real. It can't possibly be real.

Somehow, the house was dragging me toward it, and I started to walk away from Mara.

Sure enough, the door was open, welcoming me inside. The inside, was terrifying. There were stuffed animals EVERYWHERE. Blood on the walls, and potions on every shelf. However, Victor didn't appear to be home.

I followed the shining green light up the stairs, till I found its source. The light was coming from a stuffed monkey's paw, drawing me toward it.

The paw was disgusting, yet stunning at the same time. Underneath it, there was a crumbled up note.

**This paw will grant one wish to its holder. But choose wisely, for the paw is meant to teach the wisher the dangers of fate.**

Though I'd never believed it magic, the paw put a spell on me, forcing me to believe in its power.

I took the paw in my hand. Don't ask me how I knew to, I just did.

I thought about Nina. I thought about how much I loved her. I thought about how I wanted things to be. Just me and her. No Fabian. That's what I wanted . No Fabian.

"I wish Nina and Fabian were no longer engaged," I whispered to the paw.

* * *

I woke with a jolt in the middle of the night to the sound of a crash. I moved quickly out of bed to look out the window. A car, completely torn up, was standing upside down, all airbags out.

Nina ran to my side, eyes wide with fear. I pulled her into my arms and held her close.

"We should call the police," she said slowly.

I nodded as we both bolted to the nearest phone.

* * *

The cops arrived on the scene remarkably quick, and put the car back up. The horrifying shock was who the driver was.

"FABIAN!" Nina shrieked, as the paramedics pulled his remains out of the car.

Fabian. It was Fabian who had been in the fatal car crash. Fabian was- dead? My wish came true. Nina and Fabian were no longer engaged- but I'd killed a man. My wish had taken someone's life. A living breathing person who just happened to love the same girl as me. But I wouldn't allow that. I just had to make him stop breathing with that stupid paw.

* * *

4 days ago, Nina still hadn't spoken a word. She'd cried out all her tears. Watching her cry, I realized something. She DID love Fabian. She wasn't lying, or using him as a coverup. She was actually in love with him. She really wanted to be with him. I loved her and now I had to watch her suffer.

That's when I decided that I too was going to meet Patricia tonight. I couldn't take this any longer. The paw ruined my relationship with Nina. It ruined her life and my own. And it TOOK Fabian's. This had gone too far.

"Mara, I believe you. My friend's fiancé was killed because of my wish. The paw ruined both of our loves," I told her.

"JOY! You, you came! Hi! Patricia will be here any minute- I hope," Mara said.

But Patricia didn't show up for at least another hour. When she did, she dropped to her knees and started panting like crazy.

We helped her back to her feet, and the both of us explained our stories to her (briefly).

"I can't believe we all got whipped into this damn paw. This thing ruined our lives, Nina's life and probably Jerome's!" Patricia said.

"Don't forget about Willow, the girl Jerome loves," Mara added.

Patricia eyes nearly popped out of her head when she said the name Willow.

"Willow?! Willow is Jerome's lover?! No, that can't be. She's Eddie's lover!" Patricia said.

"Her and Jerome are definitely together. Probably secretly," Mara said.

The expression on Patricia's face became sad and full of pity.

"Poor Eddie," she mumbled.


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note: Merry Christmas! (Eve) Sadly this is the last chapter of this little four-shot. But this had been so fun to write!**

* * *

3 days ago was when things really took a turn for the worse. I hadn't slept a wink all night. I was thinking about Eddie. He thought he loved Willow. Him and Willow lived together, and she was secretly sleeping with a senior in high school?! How could she-how could she do that to him?! If I was lucky enough to have Eddie I would never do anything to hurt him. Ever.

In case you hadn't realized, you're back to me, Patricia. I'm hiding. Hiding in Mara's room. I spent my time either looking at Victor's house or at Eddie's. Which brought me to the thought- Where was Victor? He hadn't been in his house for an entire week.

Why? Where had he gone? Had he set us up? Try to teach us a lesson? The three of us-Mara, Joy and I were so ungrateful. He sure put us in our places.

I dont know what it was, but something motivated me to go out. But not to Victor's house, to Eddie's. Willow was going down.

I banged on the door as hard as I possibly could, and Willow came forward.

"PATRICIA?!" Willow cried, eyes widening.

"Get inside," I demanded, pushing her in.

She looked terrified of me, and did exactly what I asked.

"I'm just going to call the police-"

"Save it," I commanded. "I know you're cheating on Eddie with a senior."

Willow's feared expression changed to a smirk.

"Is that right?" she asked.

"Yes. It is. You've totally got him under your control and I am NOT ok with it. There was a time when Eddie used to be my lover. Not yours. And I love him more than you ever could. So shut up. Because I know your secret. I know you and Jerome Clarke are together."

"I never slept with you," Eddie said coming in from around the corner. I whipped around to see him standing there with tired eyes. He was still in his ruppled pajamas. "And Willow wouldn't cheat on me. Babe, call the police and have them take her back to the nut hutt."

"EDDIE!" I cried "Don't do this please! I made a mistake! Just let me explain everything to you! Please just let me explain!" Willow and Eddie glanced at each other, then back at me. I knew they were trying to decide whether to have the cops come get me now, or hear my story. "I can do better! Tonight meet me at midnight! Please!"

* * *

How could I have known that tonight, the house wouldn't light up green?! That the door would be locked? I couldn't have known that. I couldn't have! So while Eddie held me down, Willow ran back to their house to call the police and tell them they'd found me. I looked into Eddie's deep hazel eyes and died inside. Everything was over. There was nothing between us and there never would be.

"Eddie you have to believe me!"

"Patricia, I'm so sorry you ended up this way. You seriously could've had a great life," he told me sincerely.

"Eddie please remember," I begged, tears welling up in my eyes.

He looked at me long and hard. I knew he was trying. Part of him believed me.

"I-I can't. Because nothing ever happened," he said, shaking his head.

"Who are you trying to convince? Me or yourself?"

"I know you. I remember you. Something about you," he said, puzzled.

"I'll tell you what you remember. You remember that little innocent freshman girl. Newly red hair. You remember seeing her and thinking how much you wanted her. How much you just wanted to rip her shirt off. So you completely stole her heart. And then on your third date you tried to get her drunk and she dumped you. You didn't love her. You loved how she looked. She _loved_ you," I told him.

"But I did love her," he said.

"What?"

"I know- I remember who you're talking about!" He said, starting to smile. "She had the most amazing long hair, and blue eyes that sparkled like the ocean, and when I looked into them I was hypnotized. She stole my heart the minute I looked at her. But then she broke up with me because I pushed her. And I've never forgiven myself. The only reason I'm with Willow is because she reminds me of her."

I melted. Turned to complete mush. And I hate feelings. But he- he just changes me. He remembers me.

"You know that was me right?"

"Of course I do. The only reason I moved in next door was so that I could see you everyday. I just didn't want Willow to know that. I knew you'd never take me back, so I figured this is the best I'd ever get," Eddie admitted.

I leaned in to kiss him, but in a flash his entire body turned green. I shrieked in peril.

"EDDIE!"

But the color changed back within an instant, and I took a deep breath in.

"God where is Willow with the police?!" He mumbled.

"What? I thought you loved me?"

"Patricia, I never said I loved you. I know you have some weird little crush on me for some reason-"

"But you just said!" I cried.

What just happened? The green flash was the same as the paw, the flash had whipped him back to reality. He started to break away from this new world. He'd started to remember. In real life he DID love me. He always had. And I wished, and now he didn't. How could this be happening?!

I don't really want to talk about what happened next, but I had to push Eddie down and run. I was not going to be caught again. But this wouldn't be the last he saw of me. I wouldn't give up till he realized who Willow was.

* * *

The first of the screams came that night. It was definitely coming from Eddie's house. Being in Mara's house across the street, I really couldn't tell who it was, but I couldn't help but be worried. What was happening?! I'd never heard any scream so loud and terrifying.

"What is that racket?!" Mara asked grouchily.

"I don't know," I whispered.

Mara couldn't sleep either. She'd let Jerome go a few days ago, and no one knew where he was now. If he was smart, he would've left this neighborhood forever.

Once we looked into it, Mara, Joy and I found out that Mara had a history with kidnapping. One day an attractive guy would be living his everyday life, the next he'd be with Mara Jaffray. Her wish had not only given her Jerome, but a reputation. The entire male population of the high school feared her.

Joy was still trying to comfort a traumatized Nina, who was extremely depressed and still hadn't spoken. It tortured Joy to see her love like that. Seemingly possessed by her emotions.

There was another loud scream. And a knock at the door. I raced down to answer it, finding both Joy and Nina standing there.

"Can we come in?!" Joy asked.

"Ya."

And that's when the way out seemed to present itself. Joy had explained everything to Nina, in hope that she would use the paw to wish for everything to be normal. Luckily, she'd agreed.

Because it was past midnight, it was too late to use it tonight, but tomorrow would be the day. So we thought.

* * *

2 days ago... Well that's a story. Don't ask me why, but I decided to try with Eddie again. I wanted to know- I just had a hope. Maybe he could remember more about me.

I walked over to his house, and to my surprise Willow's car wasn't in the driveway. I knocked on the door, hope growing inside me.

"Patricia?" Eddie said, when he came to the door.

"Hi Eddie," I said shyly.

"Umm, are you ok? I got worried after you ran off last night. I understand that you wouldn't want to be caught, don't get me wrong."

"Can I come in?" I asked.

Once inside, I tried once again to explain the story to Eddie. Everything, from our fling, to Willow, to the paw. He laughed at some parts that seemed impossible, but I think deep down he believed me.

"I'm so sorry for taking advantage of you," he told me once I'd finished.

I grabbed his hand boldly and moved a little closer to him.

"It's ok. Any chance I got to be with you, I would've taken," I admitted.

My softness was getting the better of me. Normally I would never say something like that. I was Patricia, I was supposedly crazy. I wasn't soft. I barely had emotions. But something about Eddie has always changed that.

"How did you-why do you love me after I was so awful to you?"

"Why do people love anybody?" I asked, not sure whether the question was directed to him or myself.

"Patricia- I don't know how much longer I have," Eddie whispered.

"What?" As in? _He's going to die? What was he talking about!?_

"My time is running out. I can't say why, but I need you to know that. I want to show you how much I love you, one last time before I go," Eddie said.

"Go where?" I said, almost too angrily. Tears formed in my eyes. I had no idea what he was saying. Where he was "going."

"Away," he whispered. "Please. Can we just be together for one last moment?"

"I thought you wanted to have sex?"

"Right now, I want love not lust. I just want to be with you. I don't care what we do," He said with a smile.

I thought for a moment.

"What if _I_ want to?" I asked.

"Do you really?" He asked me, unconvinced. "I thought what you always wanted was for me to want to love you?"

"I do. I wanted to hear you say it. Once you said it, then our time together could finally mean something. I want _it_ to mean something."

"Well, then ok. And this time, we're doing it because we love each other. Deal?"

"Deal," I said, smile planted on my face.

* * *

I figured I'd thought about Jerome for long enough, so I decided to do some research. (This is Mara, if you couldn't tell.)

The Monkey's Paw is a legend that dates back years and years to the time of the Ancient Egyptians. It was created by the god Anubis to teach the people a lesson and fate and greed, as well as to make them grateful for what they already have.

Out of all three of us, the paw did the least damage to me. For that I should be grateful. All that happened to me was the boy I never had running away. That's all. There are so many other guys out there, and Jerome doesn't deserve my love anyway. The paw taught me that much.

I read on about the paw, trying to figure out how to save Patricia and Joy, when I stumbled upon the reverse. The only way to reverse the paw's power is to kill yourself, and destroy fate's plan for you.

"That's the only way?" Joy asked miserably. "I just want Nina to be happy again!"

"Hopefully when she makes that wish tonight, everything will go back to normal," I encouraged.

"Sorry I'm late," Patricia said, running in.

"You're always panting aren't you," Joy joked.

"Haha," Patricia laughed sarcastically.

"How'd it go with Eddie?" I asked.

"Best it's ever gone," she said curtly.

Joy and I glanced at each other.

"Meaning?"

"Just tell me what you found!" Patricia demanded.

* * *

The four of us ran across the street at midnight, wondering why the house wasn't lighting up green as usual.

"It did this last night too!" Patricia said. "It's not working anymore!"

"What are we gonna do?!" Joy cried.

And that's when we heard the scream again. It was even louder than it was the night before.

"What is that?!" I asked.

Patricia's eyes widened, as if she realized what was happening. She bolted over to Eddie's house and started hanging on the door.

"OPEN IT!" she screamed. "OPEN THE GOD DAMN DOOR!"

The screams paused momentarily and we all ran over to Patricia. Willow was at the door.

"WHAT?!" she said.

"Where's Eddie?" Patricia growled.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Willow retorted. "Stop sleeping with my boyfriend."

Patricia pushed past Willow and ran inside. Within 5 seconds we heard a shriek from Patricia.

"How could you?!" she cried, just loud enough for Willow to hear.

Nina, Joy and I all went inside to see a bruised and bleeding Eddie lying on the ground, Patricia holding him tightly in her arms, stroking his hair.

"You don't love him," Patricia snarled. "You never did. You beat him like he's your slave."

Tears began to stream down her face. I glanced over to Nina and Joy, who had embraced each other affectionately.

"WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?! EVERY NIGHT YOU MAKE SUCH A RACKET," A tall, older man said in the doorway. We all whipped around to see Victor standing there. "Were you not warned of the dangers of the monkey's paw?"

A crying Patricia buried her face in Eddie's shirt as he mentioned the paw.

"Too far Miss Jenks. You've gone too far. I will have to refill your anger management pills," Victor said, hauling Willow away.

Patricia got up the second Willow left, new found strength in her eyes. She was angry. Vey angry.

"I DECLARE WAR," she shouted. "WAR ON ANUBIS, WAR ON ALL THOSE WHO HAVE EVER USED THE PAW AND ITS POWER."

To think, that was just yesterday. Now we were in a battle field full of past victims of the paw. All had terrible lives. All were miserable. Several of them decided that they would fix their lives and kill themselves during the battle. It was just too painful.

Suddenly, the officers started to bring a casket onto the battlefield. They brought the box to a fighting Patricia who immediately turned around. The moment she looked into the casket, she broke. You could just see her entire world come crumbling down. I didn't have to ask to know. Eddie was dead.

The officers left the casket by Patricia to decide what to do with it. I looked around for Nina and Joy, but I'd heard rumors from other soldiers that they'd run off to be together.

Patricia's misery was increasing by the minute. I could tell she was pondering on what to do next and what was worth it. That's when she lifted her sword, and plunged it into her own chest.

"PATRICIA!" I screamed. "What are you doing?!"

Patricia fell to the ground, blood oozing out of her.

"Eddie's dead," she moaned. "I have to be with him. This is the only way. We didn't even-I could be-" But her breath ran out before she could finish.

Tears were streaming down both of our faces as Patricia closed her eyes and laid back.

I must've say over her body sobbing for at least 20 minutes, when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked up to see a boy with shaggy blonde hair comforting me.

"I'm Mick," he said. "And I'm sorry for our loss."

Even though I didn't know him, I'd seen him fighting today. He was a victim of the paw too. He understood too. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around him, and sobbed into his warm chest.


End file.
